GI Unit Leadership: Optimizing Endoscopy Operations through Leadership (Virtual) | February 2025-ASGE interventions to improve upper GI endoscopy performance

ASGE interventions to improve upper GI endoscopy performance

Pdf Summary

The document, produced by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and reviewed by the ASGE's Quality Assurance in Endoscopy Committee, focuses on enhancing upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy quality indicators. Recognizing the widespread use and importance of upper GI endoscopies – with over 6.1 million procedures performed annually in the US – the document highlights the necessity for consistent quality measures due to the diverse range of healthcare providers conducting these procedures. <br /><br />The paper systematically reviews interventions aimed at improving performance on quality indicators established in 2015. These indicators span preprocedural, intraprocedural, and postprocedural phases of endoscopies. Various methods and interventions have been identified across these stages. For instance, education-focused interventions and structured guidelines have been shown to reduce inappropriate endoscopy referrals. In addition, standardized electronic order sets have reportedly improved compliance with timely care in patients with cirrhosis experiencing acute variceal hemorrhage.<br /><br />The document also emphasizes the use of structured methodologies such as quality audits and dictation templates for improving documentation during endoscopies. Furthermore, educational tools for better endoscopic recognition—like web-based teaching programs for Barrett’s Esophagus—are endorsed to improve diagnosis accuracy.<br /><br />Despite these strategies, the document acknowledges the scarcity of robust data supporting interventions that directly improve quality indicators. It calls for further research, urging the healthcare system to adopt and track these quality measures actively. Alongside these recommendations, the document mentions potential barriers such as motivation and infrastructure which need addressing to enhance the implementation of quality indicators in regular practice. Overall, fostering a culture of continuous quality improvement and adherence to identified best practices is emphasized as crucial for optimizing endoscopy outcomes.

Keywords

ASGE

upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

quality indicators

healthcare providers

interventions

education-focused interventions

standardized electronic order sets

quality audits

Barrett’s Esophagus

continuous quality improvement